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Ex-President Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that he is not seriously planning sending Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. After being asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One, he answered, “No, not currently.” Earlier accounts had indicated the U.S. Department of Defense told the administration that U.S. inventories of Tomahawks were ample to enable this transfer.

Ukrainian Military Actions Persist Without Missile Lack

Although Ukrainian forces has been pursuing Tomahawk missiles to execute far-reaching strikes against Russia, it has still managed to wage a successful campaign using its own drones and missiles against Moscow's armed and strategic targets, such as fuel storage facilities and refineries. On Sunday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted the port facility on the Black Sea, causing a blaze and harming two ships, according to Moscow officials. Nearby airfields in the area also had to be closed.

Turkey Refineries Shift to Alternative Crude Supplies

Turkey's biggest oil refining facilities are boosting purchases of alternative crude in response to the latest western sanctions on Moscow, as reported by market insiders. The country is a major purchaser of Russian crude, along with China and India, but refiners are following New Delhi's example in reducing imports.

SOCAR Turkey Plant Expands Oil Procurement

A major Turkish refineries, the STAR refinery, operated by Azeri company SOCAR, has lately purchased multiple cargoes of crude from Iraqi, Kazakhstan, and other alternative producers for December delivery, according to insiders. These purchases represent approximately tens of thousands of barrels daily of alternative supply, varying by cargo size. By comparison, Russian crude made up virtually the entirety of the plant's supply in October and September, totaling about 210,000 barrels per day, based on trade data. SOCAR refused to comment.

Tupras Also Increasing Alternative Purchases

The other major Turkish oil processor – Tupras refinery – was additionally raising purchases of non-Russian grades of crude, according to two sources. Tupras was furthermore expected to soon entirely eliminate Russian crude at a key facility of its two main Turkish refineries to maintain fuel exports to Europe without breaching the EU’s upcoming restrictions. The refiner did not respond to a request for a statement.

Ukraine Sends Elite Units to Pokrovsk

Ukraine has sent special forces to the heavily contested eastern city of Pokrovsk in an effort to push back an fierce Russian offensive comprising a large number of troops, as stated by Kyiv’s top military leader. The city, called “the entrance to Donetsk,” lies on a key logistical line for the Kyiv's army and has been in Moscow’s crosshairs for more than a year as Russia pushes to seize the whole eastern Donetsk region.

Latest Developments in the City

No fewer than two hundred Moscow's soldiers had breached the city's defences, Ukrainian officials reported recently, while analysts assessed that others were advancing on its outskirts in a pincer-shaped maneuver. In his evening speech on this past Sunday, the Ukrainian president spoke of the combat in Pokrovsk and “successes in the destruction of the invading forces.”

Zelenskyy Announces Strengthened Air Defense System

The president, who has been pushing his allies for more air defense systems to counter Russia’s attacks, stated on Sunday that the country had strengthened its air defense network with Berlin's assistance. “We've strengthened the Patriot element of our Ukrainian air defence,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the sophisticated U.S.-made air-defence systems. Without providing further details, the Ukrainian leader specifically thanked Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, for gratitude.

Russian Attacks Kill Innocents, Cut Electricity

Moscow's drones and rockets fired at Ukrainian territory took the lives of no fewer than 6 people, among them two minors, and disrupted electricity to tens of thousands of residents, authorities said on this past Sunday. Russian forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa areas, according to the representatives of the country's prosecutor general. The victims were male minors aged 11 and 14, stated Ukraine’s human rights commissioner. Russia’s strikes disrupted power to the entire east Donetsk area as well as almost 58,000 homes in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, their local leaders announced. Ukraine’s Eastern army group said a number of its members were killed in one of the Russian strikes on the region.